1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a syringe assembly having a collapsed plunger rod, and more particularly, to a syringe assembly having a collapsed plunger rod wherein the plunger rod has magnification properties to reduce medication errors. The present invention is also directed to a syringe assembly having a smaller packaging footprint allowing for reduced storage space.
2. Description of Related Art
Syringe assemblies, and in particular hypodermic syringes, are well known in the medical field for dispensing fluids, such as medication. A conventional syringe typically includes a syringe barrel with an opening at one end and a plunger mechanism disposed through the other end. The plunger typically includes a plunger rod extending through the barrel, with a plunger head or stopper at the end of the plunger rod within the barrel and with a finger flange at the other end of the plunger rod extending out of the barrel. In use, the plunger rod is retracted through the syringe barrel to fill the syringe barrel with a fluid, such as a medication, with the plunger rod extending out from the rear end of the syringe barrel. For delivery of the medication to a patient, the opening of the syringe barrel is adapted for fluid communication with a patient, such as through a hypodermic needle fitted at the front end of the syringe barrel or through a luer-type fitting extending from the front end of the syringe barrel for attachment with a fluid line of a patient. Upon depression of the plunger rod, the plunger rod and stopper travel through the syringe barrel, thereby forcing the contents of the syringe out through the opening at the front end for delivery to the patient. Such an operation is well known in the medical field, and medical practitioners have become well accustomed to the use of such common fluid delivery procedures through standard syringes.
Syringe assemblies having magnification members which are separately attached to the syringe barrel are also well known. U.S. Pat. No. 2,586,581 to Tschischeck discloses a magnifying attachment that fits around a syringe barrel. U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,071 to Asbell discloses a movable lens for viewing indicia lines that are visually accessible through a transparent region of a syringe body. The movable lens is carried by straps clasped to the exterior surface of tubing surrounding the syringe body. U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,234 to Leopoldi et al. discloses a syringe magnifier that is attached directly onto a syringe barrel.
Conventional syringes are well known to be used in connection with a vial of a medication, where the user draws the fluid into the syringe immediately prior to injection and delivery of the fluid to the patient. Oftentimes, hypodermic syringes may be packaged as “pre-filled” devices, wherein the syringe is pre-filled with medication prior to being packaged and delivered to the end user. In this manner, there is no need for the user to fill the device prior to injection, thereby saving time for the end user and maintaining consistent volumes for delivery.
Pre-filled syringes and pre-filled metered dose syringes are often filled with narcotics or other drugs at a production facility, packaged, and then shipped to a medical facility. Once at the facility, these syringes are often placed in controlled storage and/or locked cabinets to reduce theft of the syringes themselves and/or theft of the contents of these syringes. The space within these controlled storage locations is often limited, thus there is a need for a syringe assembly that has magnification properties wherein the magnification member is an integral component of the assembly such that the syringe assembly has a smaller packaging footprint to reduce the storage space required for containing this syringe. It is also desirable to produce syringes that are uniform in terms of an outer surface shape to allow for stacking of the syringes within the storage cabinet.